Editorial: Customers depend on the PSC

Sunday

Feb 24, 2013 at 2:00 AM

So far, the only people in favor of allowing a Canadian utility to take over Central Hudson Gas & Electric are shareholders who will get a nice return on their money, and managers who will walk away with even more.

So far, the only people in favor of allowing a Canadian utility to take over Central Hudson Gas & Electric are shareholders who will get a nice return on their money, and managers who will walk away with even more.

Judging by comments at public hearings this week in Kingston and Poughkeepsie, that's not good enough for the Public Service Commission to approve the deal.

And now it's up to the PSC to show where it stands. Will it approve the merger and help those who will make out well, or reject it and help those who could see bills go up and quality of service go down?

When the commission makes the decision, it needs to address some of the challenges raised at the hearings, most notably the one coming from a local legislator who is widely regarded as an expert in utility matters.

"Fortis and Central Hudson shareholders are about to get away with stealing money from the ratepayers of this community," Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, D-Kingston, said at the hearing.

And that is a comment that echoes far beyond this single deal. With no strong advocate for customers able to balance the formidable persuasive and lobbying powers of large utility companies, New Yorkers are more reliant than ever on the PSC to act in their defense — and not only as a neutral referee.